Pusher machine with movable ram girder support shoe



Sept. 13, 1966 F. LOVETRO 3,272,356

PUSHER MACHINE WITH MOVABLE RAM GIRDER SUPPORT SHOE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 1, 1965 INVENTOR. Eases/war Love 7W0.

Sept. 13, 1966 LOVETRQ 3,272,356

PUSHER MACHINE WITH MOVABLE RAM GIRDER SUPPORT SHOE Filed Feb. 1, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 32 H na r /22 /20 @6 0 f 54 I l I Sept. 13, 1966 LOVETRO 3,272,356

PUSHER MACHINE WITH MOVABLE RAM GIRDER SUPPORT SHOE Filed Feb. 1, 1965 5 Sheet-Sheet 5 &

I I I INVENTOR- United States Patent 3,272,356 PUSHER MACHINE WITH MOVABLE RAM GIRDER SUPPORT SHOE Frederick Lovetro, Glenshaw, Pa., assignor to Koppers Company, Inc., a corporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 1, 1965, Ser. No. 429,453 11 Claims. (Cl. 214-23 This invention relates to a pusher machine for a horizontal coke oven and more particularly to an improved pusher machine having a movable support shoe.

A horizontal regenerative coke oven battery includes a plurality of long narrow and relatively high coking chambers that are closed at each end by a removable coke oven door. When carbonization of the coal Within the coke oven chambers is completed, the coke oven doors are removed and a pusher ram is inserted into an open end of the chamber and the coke is pushed out of the other end of the chamber. The pusher ram is carried on a pusher machine that moves relative to the coke oven battery on rails extending longitudinally of the coke oven battery on the pusher side of the battery. The pusher ram is movable laterally relative to the pusher machine in and out of the coke oven chambers.

The pusher ram has a length slightly longer than the coke oven chamber so that it may extend through the entire length of the coke oven chamber and eject all of the coke charge therefrom. The length of the pusher ram places a severe limitation on the erection of horizontal coke oven batteries. Suflicient free space must be provided on the pusher side of the coke oven battery to provide clearance for the elongated pusher ram girder. In the past apparatus for reducing the amount of free space on the pusher side of the coke oven battery have been proposed. For example, in US. Patent #2,609,948, entitled, Pusher Machine With Articulated Pusher Bar, assigned to the assignee of the present invention, there is disclosed a pusher ram that has a pusher ram bar or girder fabricated in two sections hingedly secured to each other. As the pusher ram is retracted from the coke oven chamber the hinged end portion of the ram girder articulates about a hinge connection into a vertical position. With this arrangement the free space on the pusher side of the coke oven battery is reduced by the dimension of the hinged end section of the ram girder. The articulated ram girder has been successful in reducing the free space on the pusher side of the coke oven battery although the downwardly articulated ram girder end portion limits to some extent the head room provided beneath the retracted ram girder.

In the installation of additional coke oven chambers in a battery, or the replacement of existing coke oven chambers in an existing line of batteries having a preestablished clearance for the pusher machine ram girder, it is highly desirable to increase the length of the coke oven chambers and thereby increase the quantitative output of coke per coke oven chamber. One of the major limitations in increasing the length of the coke oven chamber is the pre-established clearance for the pusher machine ram girder. The herein disclosed invention, used alone or in conjunction with the articulated ram girder disclosed in US. Patent #2,609,948, eliminates this limitation and permits the construction of longer coke oven chambers and thereby permits an increased output of coke per coke oven chamber without increasing the clearance on the pusher side of the battery.

Briefly, the herein disclosed invention is directed to a pusher ram bar or girder that has a longitudinally movable support shoe connected thereto. In a retracted position of the ram head the support shoe is positioned on the ram girder adjacent the ram head. As the ram head advances into the coking chamber the support shoe is maintained in a fixed position and the ram girder advances relative thereto. After the ram head has advanced a preselected distance into the coking chamber, the support shoe is fixedly secured to the ram girder and is movable therewith to provide a suitable support for the ram head and front end of the ram girder within the coking chamber. As the ram head is retracted from the coking chamber and reaches a preselected position, a locking means securing the support shoe to the ram girder is disengaged and the support shoe is maintained in a fixed position while the ram girder moves relative thereto to a fully retracted position. Control means are provided to connect and disconnect the support shoe from the ram girder and to maintain the support shoe in a fixed position relative to the ram girder. The herein described invention permits moving the ram drive pinion closer to the pusher side of the coke oven battery to thereby reduce the clearance required on the pusher side of the coke oven battery an equivalent amount. Stated otherwise the invention permits the length of the ram girder to be decreased by an amount equal to the distance the support shoe moves on the ram girder.

Accordingly, the principal object of this invention is to provide a pusher machine having a reduced clearance for the ram girder.

Another object of this invention is to provide a pusher machine having a support shoe for supporting the ram girder that is movable relative to the ram girder.

Another object of this invention is to provide a means to maintain a support shoe that is movable relative to a ram girder in a fixed position while the ram girder advances into a coking chamber.

Another object of this invention is to provide means to fixedly secure a movable support shoe to a ram girder so that the support shoe provides suitable support for the ram head and the ram girder.

Another object of this invention is to provide a pusher machine with a ram drive pinion positioned closely adjacent the pusher side of the coke oven battery to thereby reduce the clearance or free space required for the ram girder on the pusher side of the coke oven battery.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will be more completely disclosed and described in the following specification, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a view in vertical section through a coking chamber of a coke oven battery and the improved pusher machine positioned With the ram in a retracted position. In phantom lines in FIGURE 1 there is shown a portion of the ram girder that may be eliminated by the herein described invention.

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 illustrating the pusher ram in an extended position.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged view in elevation of the ram girder and support shoe with the ram head in a retracted position.

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 3 with the ram head advancing into the coke oven chamber.

FIGURE 5 is a view in section taken along the lines 55 of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a schematic diagram of another control means for maintaining the movable support shoe in a fixed position while the ram girder advances relative thereto.

FIGURE 7 is a schematic view similar to FIGURE 6 illustrating the latch means in a disengaged position.

Referring to the drawings and particularly FIGURES 1 and 2 there is illustrated a coke oven battery generally designated by the numeral 10 that has a horizontal coking chamber 12 extending laterally therethrough. The coking chamber has a floor 14, a roof 16 and a pair of doors 18 and 20 closing the open ends of the chamber. As illustrated in FIGURE 2 Where the doors 18 and 20 are removed there are provided door frames 22 and 24 in 'which the doors 18 and 20 are positioned to effectively seal the chamber 12 during the coking operation. FIGURE 1 illustrates the chamber 12 filled with a coke charge ready to be pushed therefrom by the pusher machine generally designated by the numeral 26. A coke guide 28 is carried by a car positioned on rails paralleling the cokeside 30 of the coke oven battery 10. The coke guide 28 serves to guide the coke charge as it is removed from the chamber 12 into a quench car, not shown.

The coke charge is removed from the coke oven chamber 12 by means of a ram head 32 carried by a ram girder 34 that is movable longitudinally on the pusher machine 26. The pusher machine 26 has a superstructure 36 that is mounted on rails that parallel the pusher side 38 of the coke oven battery 10. The pusher machine is propelled on the rails and is moved into position where the ram head 32 and ram girder 34 are aligned with the coking chamber 12. Other mechanisms for removing and cleaning the door 20 may also be associated with the pusher machine 26 but do not form a part of the present invention and are not shown.

The pusher machine superstructure 36 has upwardly extending supports 40, 42 and 44 for the ram girder 34. An enclosure 46 for the operators compartment and the ram drive mechanism is carried by a horizontal support 48 secured to the vertical supports 40, 42, 44 above the ram girder 34. As is clearly illustrated in FIGURES 3 and 4, there is provided a pinion 50 connected to a suitable drive mechanism in the enclosure 46. The pinion 50 is arranged to advance and retract the ram head 32 and ram girder 34 into and out of the coking chamber 12. The ram head 32 is connected to the front end 52 of the ram girder 34 and the ram girder 34 is suitably supported on the vertical supports 40, 42 and 44 so that the lower portion of the ram head has approximately a 4-inch clearance above the coke oven fioor when in a retracted position. The ram girder 34 has a longitudinal depending rack portion 54 that meshes with the pinion 50 so that the ram girder may be advanced and retracted into and out of the coke oven chamber 12. A supporting shoe generally designated by the numeral 56 is associated with the ram girder 34 and is arranged to support the ram head 32 within the coking chamber. The supporting shoe 36 is so arranged on the ram girder 34 so that the shoe 56 remains Within the coking chamber 12 in contact with the coke oven floor 14 when the ram girder 34 is in an extended position as illustrated in FIGURE 2.

The ram girder 34 has a general beam-like configuration with a web portion 58, a top horizontal flange 60 and a bottom horizontal flange 62. The ram head 32 is suitably secured to the ram girder front end portion 52. Adjacent the front end 76 ram girder 34 is modified to movably carry the support shoe 56. As is illustrated in FIGURE 5, the web 58 has an intermediate horizontal flange 64 that extends parallel to the upper flange 60. A vertical plate 66 is secured to the intermediate flange 64 and depends downwardly therefrom. The plate 66 has a lower horizontal plate 68 secured thereto in parallel relation to the flange 64. A rack 70 of reduced width is secured to the horizontal flange 68 by means of rivets 72 and terminates in a front end portion 73. A vertical rib 74 between the flanges 60 and 62 forms a rear end wall or stop for the supporting shoe 56. Similarly, a vertical rib 76 forms a front wall or stop for the supporting shoe 56. Although the plates 66 and 68 are described as fabricated separately and secured to a portion of the ram girder 34, it should be understood that the configuration described may be fabricated from the ram girder 34 by utilizing the web 58 and the flange 62 and including an intermediate horizontal flange 64.

Referring to FIGURE 5, the lower plate 68 has an upper surface 78 on one side of the vertical plate 66 and another surface 80 on the opposite side of plate 66. The surfaces 78 and 80 serve as support surfaces or rails for the supporting shoe carriage as later described.

The support shoe generally designated by the numeral 56 has a shoe portion 82 with an upwardly extending support portion 84. A carriage generally designated by the numeral 86 is secured to the shoe support portion 84 by means of bolts 88 (FIGURE 5). The carriage 86 has a pair of vertical side walls 90 and 92 that are positioned on opposite sides of the plate 66. The walls 90 and 92 have horizontal apertures 94 extending therethrough in which shafts 96 are threadedly secured and maintained in fixed relation by means of keepers 93. An annular bearing 100 is positioned on the shafts 96 and rotatably support carriage wheels 102. The carriage wheels 102 are arranged to ride on the plate upper surfaces 78 and 80 and support the shoe 56 from the ram girder 34. Thus the support shoe 56 is movable relative to the ram girder 34 between the front stop 76 and the rear stop 74. The carriage 86 may be disassembled and removed from the ram girder 34 by removal of bolts 88 and the horizontal bolts 104 that secure the side walls 90 and 92 to each other.

The side wall 90 has a cutaway receiver portion 106 adjacent the front end. A latch member 108 is pivotally secured to a vertical rib 110 between the upper flange 60 and the intermediate flange 64 and is arranged to secure the supporting shoe 56 to the ram girder 34 in a position adjacent the rear stop 74. The ram girder flange 64 has an aperture 112 therethrough for a depending portion 114 of latch 108. A push rod 116 is secured to the latch 108 and extends through an aperture 118 in the upper web 60. Secured to the fixed enclosure 46 and depending downwardly therefrom are a pair of rollers 120 and 122. The roller 122 has a diameter slightly larger than roller 120. As the ram girder 34 reciprocates beneath the rollers 120 and 122 the rollers move the push rod 116 downwardly and rotate the latch mechanism in a clockwise direction to lift the actuator portion 114 upwardly. The latch mechanism actuator 114 is operable when positioned in receiver portion 106 of carriage side wall 90 to secure the supporting shoe 56 adjacent the rear of stop 74. The roller 120 is arranged to pivot the latch 108 to provide clearance between the latch actuator portion 114 and the top surface of the member 90 to permit the carriage 86 to move beneath the latch actuator portion 114. The roller 122 is arranged to pivot the latch 108 in a clockwise direction a suflicient distance to lift the actuator portion 114 a sufficient distance to clear the receiver 106 and release the support shoe 56 for movement of the ram girder 34 relative thereto. The depending latch portion 114 may have a cammed front edge portion to ride over the upper surface of side wall 90 and thus eliminate the roller 120.

A bumper mechanism 124 is secured to the superstructure 36 and extends upwardly therefrom. The bumper mechanism is positioned beneath the drive pinion 50 and is arranged to limit movement of the support shoe 82 in a direction away from the coke oven battery 10. A brake mechanism generally designated by the numeral 126 is also pivotally secured to the superstructure 36 adjacent the bumper mechanism 124. The brake mechanism 126 has an actuator cylinder 128 with a rod extending upwardly therefrom and pivotally secured to a brake abutment member 132. The cylinder 128 is arranged to move the rod 130 upwardly to thereby engage the abutment member 132 to the lower portion of support shoe 82. With this arrangement the brake mechanism 126 maintains the support shoe 56 in a fixed position while the ram girder 34 moves relative thereto. Although not shown, suitable rollers or support means may be positioned beneath the ram girder 34 adjacent the pinion 50 to maintain proper tooth engagement between the rack 54 and the pinion 50.

' The pusher machine 26 operates in the following manner. In a fully retracted position, as illustrated in FIG- URE 3, the brake mechanism 126 is actuated so that the brake abutment member 132 engages the shoe portion 82 to maintain the support shoe 56 in a fixed position relative to the pinion 50 and adjacent the ram girder front stop 76. The pusher machine 26 is then actuated to move the ram girder 34 and ram 32 toward the coke oven chamber in a direction from right to left, as illustrated in FIGURES 3 and 4. The support shoe 56 remains fixed relative to the superstructure 36 by means of the brake mechanism 126 as the ram girder 34 advances toward the coke oven chamber. As the rod 116 passes beneath roller 120 the latch 108 is rotated in a clockwise direction so that the actuator portion 114 is lifted upwardly and rides on the top surface of the carriage side wall 90. Continued movement of the ram girder 34 toward the coke oven chamber 12 moves the carriage 86 into abutting relation with the rear stop 74, as illustrated in FIGURE 4. The brake mechanism 126 is then disengaged and the latch actuator 114 moves into engagement with the portion 106 of the carriage 86 to secure the support shoe 56 to the ram girder 34 in a position adjacent the stop 74. The rarn girder then advances into the coke oven chamber to push the coke oven charge, as is well known in the art. At a preselected location in the coke oven chamber, the ram girder deflects downwardly and seats the supporting shoe 56 on the oven floor 14. The upper surfaces of the carriage side walls 90 and 92 then abut the intermediate web 64 and provide direct contact between the ram girder 34 and the support shoe carriage 86, as well as the desired support for the ram girder 34 and ram head 32. At its extended position, as is illustrated in FIGURE 2, the support shoe 82 remains within the coke oven chamber 12 resting on the coke oven floor 14. After the coke charge has been pushed from the coke oven chamber 12 the ram girder 34 is retracted therefrom. The latch mechanism 108 maintains the shoe support 56 in its rearward position on the ram girder 34 as indicated in FIG- URE 4 while the ram girder is retracted from the coke oven chamber. As the rod 116 of the latch mechanism 108 on the ram girder 34 passes beneath the fiixed roller 122 the latch mechanism 108 is actuated as illustrated in FIGURE 4 to disengage the latch 108 from the support shoe 56. Continued retraction of the ram girder 34 in a direction from left to right as viewed in FIGURE 4 permits the ram girder 34 to move relative to the support shoe 56 until the ram girder 34 is retracted to the position illustrated in FIGURE 3. The brake mechanism 124 is engaged to maintain the support shoe 56 in a fixed position. The pusher machine 26 is then advanced to another coke oven chamber where the above operation is repeated.

In FIGURES 6 and 7 another embodiment of this invention is illustrated and similar numerals will be given to similar parts. FIGURE 6 illustrates the ram girder 34 in a retracted position similar to the position illustrated in FIGURE 3. FIGURE 7 illustrates the ram girder in a position similar to FIGURE 4 with the latch mechanism in a disengaged position. The rarn girder 34 is provided with a switch actuating abutment means 134, and a pair of limit switches L1 and L2 are suitably secured to the superstructure 36 in a preselected position to be actuated by the abutment means 134. The limit switches L1 and L2 actuate a solenoid 136 that controls a four way air valve 138. The electrical connections for the limit switches and solenoid are conventional and are not shown. Air under pressure is supplied to the four way valve 138 through a conduit 140 from a suitable source. A conduit 142 connects the four way valve 138 to the lower portion of an air cylinder 144 and a conduit 146 connects the four way valve to the upper portion of air cylinder 144. The air cylinder 144 has a piston therein with a rod 14% extending upwardly therefrom. The rod 148 is connected to a retaining latch 150 that is pivotally secured at one end 152 to the superstructure 36 and has an engaging portion 154 that engages the front end of the support shoe 56. A spring 156 shifts the valve to the position illustrated in FIG- URE 7 when the solenoid 136 is deenergized. The other structure of the pusher ram girder and the support shoe 56 is substantially the same as that illustrated in FIG- URES 3 and 4. Where the carriage 86 and ram girder 34 are fabricated to sufiiciently close tolerances to minimize, or eliminate the chattering or vibration of the support shoe 56 as it slides on the coke oven chamber floor 14 as the ram girder 34 advances into the coke oven chamber 12, the latch mechanism 108 may be omitted without departing from the scope of the invention.

The apparatus illustrated in FIGURES 6 and 7 operates in the following manner. In a fully retracted position, as illustrated in FIGURE 6, the limit switch L1 is actuated by the switch actuating abutment means 134 on the ram girder 34 to energize the solenoid 136 and position the valve 138 as illustrated in FIGURE 6. The air is supplied from conduit through conduit 142 into the lower portion of cylinder 144 to urge the actuating rod 148 and latch mechanism upwardly into engagement with the supporting shoe 56. The latch 150 maintains the supporting shoe 56 in a fixed position relative to the pinion 50. The pusher machine 26 is then actuated to move the ram girder 34 and the ram head 32 toward the coke oven chamber in a direction from right to left as illustrated in FIGURES 6 and 7. The supporting shoe remains fixed by means of the retaining latch 150 as the pusher ram girder 34 moves relative thereto. When the switch actuating abutment means 134- passes over and actuates limit switch L2 the solenoid 136 is deenergized and the spring 156 moves the valve member 140 to the position illustrated in FIGURE 7. The air supply from conduit 140 is then directed through conduit 146 to the upper portion of solenoid 144 to move the latch 150 downwardly out of engagement with the supporting shoe 56. The supporting shoe 56 by abutting the rear stop 74 on the ram girder 34 advances into the coke oven chamber with the ram girder 34. If a latch mechanism similar to latch mechanism 1.08 is provided, the supporting shoe 56 is fixedly secured to the ram girder 34 in its rearward position.

After the coke charge has been pushed from the coke oven chamber 12 the ram girder 34 is retracted therefrom. Where a latch mechanism similar to latch mechanism 108 is provided the supporting shoe 56 remains in its rearward position on the ram girder 34 while the ram girder is being retracted from the coke oven chamber. If the latch mechanism 108 is omitted, the supporting shoe remains fixed within the oven and the ram girder 34 is retracted and moves relative thereto until the supporting shoe 56 abuts the ram girder front end portion 76. The supporting shoe 56 is withdrawn from the coke oven chamber 12 with the pusher ram girder 34. When the ram girder 34 is retracted to a position where the switch actuating abutment means 134 actuates limit switch L1, the solenoid 136 is energized to again move the valve 138 to the position illustrated in FIGURE 6 to supply air to the lower portion of cylinder 144 and move latch mechanism 150 into engagement with the supporting shoe 56.

It will be apparent from the above description that it is now possible to move the drive pinion closer to the pusher side of the coke oven battery and to reduce the length of the ram girder by the distance the drive pinion is moved toward the coke oven battery. In the past it was necessary to space the drive pinion a substantial distance from the coke side of the coke oven battery to provide a sufficient distance between the ram head and the supporting shoe so that the ram head could extend through the coke oven chamber and into the coke guide 28 and effectively push a charge of coke from a coke oven chamber while the supporting shoe remained within the coke oven chamber on the coke oven floor and provided adequate support for the ram head and ram girder in the extended position. With the above described invention the supporting shoe is movably carried by the ram girder and is movable between a first position where the ram head may be fully retracted and a clearance remains between the drive pinion and the supporting shoe and a second position where the supporting shoe is moved longitudinally rearwardly on the ram girder to provide support for the ram head and ram girder when the ram girder is in a fully extended position. The distance that the supporting shoe is movable relative to the ram girder is substantially the clearance distance saved by the herein disclosed invention.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, the principle, preferred construction, and mode of operation of the invention have been explained and what is considered to represent its best embodiments has been illustrated. However, it should be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

What is claimed is:

1. A pusher ram for pushing coke horizontally out of a coke oven chamber comprising:

a support structure mounted on rails and arranged to be propelled along the pusher side of a coke oven battery having a plurality of laterally extending coke oven chambers,

a ram girder mounted on said support structure for reciprocating movement relative thereto into and out of a coke oven chamber,

a vertically extending ram head secured to the front end of said ram girder, said ram head arranged to contact said coke charge within said coke oven chamber and push said coke charge out of said coke oven chamber,

drive means on said supporting structure for reciprocating said ram girder between a retracted position in which said ram head is located outside the coke oven cham ber on the pusher side of the coke oven battery and an extended position in which the ram head extends beyond the coke oven chamber on the coke side and said ram girder is positioned within said coke oven hamber,

a support shoe carried by said ram girder adjacent to said ram head, said support shoe arranged to slide on said coke oven chamber fioor and support said ram girder front end portion and said ram head within said coke oven chamber,

means slidably connecting said support shoe to said ram girder so that said support shoe is movable longitudinally relative to said ram girder a preselected distance,

lock means fixed to said support structure adjacent said drive means operable to fixedly secure said support shoe to said support structure adjacent said drive means and permit movement of said ram girder relative thereto, and

means on said ram girder operable to engage said support shoe to said ram girder at a preselected position on said ram girder for movement of said support shoe with said ram girder.

2. A pusher ram for pushing coke horizontally out of a coke oven chamber as set forth in claim 1 which includes:

second lock means secured to said ram girder and operable to secure said support shoe to said ram girder at said preselected position on said ram girder.

3. A pusher ram for pushing coke horizontally out of a coke oven chamber as set forth in claim 1 which includes:

first control means responsive to the relative position of said ram girder on said support structure and a coke oven chamber as set forth in claim 1 which includes:

second lock means secured to said ram girder and operable to secure said support shoe to said ram girder at said preselected position on said ram girder, and

second control means responsive to the relative position of said ram girder on said support structure and operable to actuate said second lock means and lock said support shoe to said ram girder at said preselected position on said ram girder and to unlock said second lock means when said ram girder reaches a preselected position on said support structure and permit movement of said ram girder relative to said support shoe.

5. A pusher ram for pushing coke horizontally out of a coke oven chamber comprising:

a support structure mounted on rails and arranged to be propelled along the pusher side of a coke oven battery having a plurality of laterally extending coke oven chambers,

a ram girder mounted on said support structure for reciprocating movement relative thereto into and out of a coke oven chamber,

said ram girder having a horizontally extending bottom flange with a rack member depending downwardly therefrom and extending longitudinally thereon,

a vertically extending ram head secured to the front end of said ram girder, said ram head arranged to contact said coke charge within said coke oven chamber and push said coke charge out of said coke oven chamber,

drive means positioned on said supporting structure and including drive pinion meshing with said ram girder rack mechanism, said drive means operable to reciprocate said ram girder between a retracted position in which said ram head is located outside the coke oven chamber on the pusher side of the coke oven battery and an extended position in which the ram head extends beyond the coke oven chamber on the coke side and said ram girder is positioned within said coke oven chamber,

said drive pinion positioned adjacent to said coke oven battery pusher side in fixed relation on said supporting structure,

a support shoe carried by said ram girder adjacent to said ram head, said support shoe arranged to slide on said coke oven chamber floor and support said ram girder front end portion and said ram head within said coke oven chamber,

means slidably connecting said support shoe to said ram girder so that said support shoe is movable longitudinally relative to said ram girder a preselected distance,

front stop means for said support shoe on said ram girder adjacent said ram head and rear stop means on said ram girder spaced rearwardly from said front stop means, said support shoe arranged to move relative to said ram girder between said front stop means and said rear stop means, and

third stop means fixed to said support structure between said coke oven battery and said drive pinion, said third stop means operable to stop rearward movement of said support shoe adjacent to said drive pinion and permit continued rearward movement of said ram girder in a direction away from said coke oven chamber.

6. A pusher ram for pushing coke horizontally out of a coke oven chamber as set forth in claim which includes:

first lock means fixed to said support structure adjacent to said third stop means and said drive pinion, said lock means operable to fixedly secure said support shoe to said support structure between said coke oven battery pusher side and said drive pinion and permit movement of said ram girder relative to said support shoe, and first control means responsive to the relative position of said ram girder to said drive pinion and operable to actuate said lock means and lock said support shoe in fixed position relative to said support structure and to unlock said lock means when said ram girder rear stop means moves into abutting relation with said support shoe as said ram girder advances into the coke oven chamber. 7. A pusher ram for pushing coke horizontally out of a coke oven chamber as set forth in claim 5 which includes: second lock means secured to said ram girder and operable to secure said support shoe to said ram girder when said support shoe abuts said ram girder rear stop means, and second control means responsive to the relative position of said ram girder and said drive pinion and operable to unlock said second lock means when said support shoe abuts said third stop means as said ram girder moves rearwardly out of said coke oven chamber. 8. A pusher ram for pushing coke horizontally out of a coke oven chamber as set forth in claim 5 in which said support shoe includes:

a carriage member having a pair of vertical spaced side walls, shafts secured to said side walls and extending inwardly therefrom, 7 wheels rotatably secured to said shafts and arranged to ride on the upper surfaces of said ram girder lower flange to movably support said support shoe thereon between said firont stop means and said rear stop means. 9. A pusher ram for pushing coke horizontally out of a coke oven chamber as set forth in claim 5 which includes: a latch member pivotally secured to the web portion of said ram girder adjacent to said rear stop means, said latch member having a depending front end portion operable to engage a portion of said support shoe and fixedly secure said support shoe to said ram girder adjacent said rear stop means, an actuator rod secured to said latch member other end portion and extending upwardly therefrom, an actuator member fixedly positioned on said support structure above said ram girder, said actuator member operable at a preselected position of said ram girder on said support members to depress said actuator rod as said ram girder moves thereunder to pivot said latch member and move said latch depending end portion upwardly and permit movement of said ram girder relative to said support shoe.

10. A pusher ram for pushing coke horizontally out of a coke oven chamber as set forth in claim 5 which includes:

a lock member operable to lock said support shoe in a fixed position adjacent said third stop means and permit rearward movement of said ram girder relative thereto, and

control means responsive to the relative position of said ram girder or said support structure and operable to engage said lock means upon rearward movement of said ram girder to a preselected position Where said support shoe abut said stop means to maintain said lock means in an engaged position while said ram girder moves relative to said support shoe between said front stop means and said rear stop means and to unlock said lock means when said ram girder advances forwardly to a preselected position when said rear stop means abuts said support shoe.

11. A pusher ram for pushing coke horizontally out of a coke oven chamber as set forth in claim 5 which includes: 1

a latch member pivotally secured to said support member adjacent to said third stop means, said latch member operable to engage said support shoe adjacent said third stop means and permit movement of said ram girder relative to said support shoe, and

control means responsive to the relative position of said ram girder on said support structure to disengage said latch means from said support shoe,

said control means having switch means secured to said support structure,

pressure responsive means connected to said latch means and operable to move said latch means relative to said support shoe and disengage said latch means,

conduit means connecting a source of fluid under pressure to said pressure responsive means,

valve means in said conduit means,

signal responsive means connected to said valve means operable to actuate said valve means to supply pressurized fluid to said pressure responsive means,

actuator means on said ram girder operable to actuate said switch means, said switch means operable upon actuation to provide a signal to said signal responsive means to thereby actuate said valve means and disengage said latch means from said support shoe.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/1903 Moore 214-23 6/1928 Grasshoft 21423 

1. A PUSHER RAM FOR PUSHING COKE HORIZONTALLY OUT OF A COKE OVEN CHAMBER COMPRISING: A SUPPORT STRUCTURE MOUNTED ON RAILS AND ARRANGED TO BE PROPELLED ALONG THE PUSHER SIDE OF A COKE OVEN BATTERY HAVING A PLURALITY OF LATERALLY EXTENDING COKE OVEN CHAMBERS, A RAM GIRDER MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT STRUCTURE FOR RECIPROCATING MOVEMENT RELATIVE THERETO INTO AND OUT OF A COKE OVEN CHAMBER, A VERTICALLY EXTENDING RAM HEAD SECURED TO THE FRONT END OF SAID RAM GIRDER, SAID RAM HEAD ARRANGES TO CONTACT SAID COKE CHARGE WITHIN SAI COKE OVEN CHAMBER AND PUSH COKE CHARGE OUT OF SAID COKE OVEN CHAMBER, DRIVE MEANS ON SAID SUPPORTING STRUCTURE FOR RECIPROCATING SAID RAM GIRDER BETWEEN A RETRACTED POSITION IN WHICH SAID RAM HEAD IS LOCATED OUTSIDE THE COKE OVEN CHAMBER ON THE PUSHER SIDE OF THE COKE OVEN BATTERY AND AN EXTENDED POSITION IN WHICH THE RAM HEAD EXTENDS BEYOND THE COKE OVEN CHAMBER ON THE COKE SIDE AND SAID RAM GIRDER IS POSITIONED WITHIN THE SAID COKE OVEN CHAMBER, A SUPPORT SHOE CARRIED BY SAID RAM GIRDER ADJACENT TO SAID RAM HEAD, SAID SUPPORT SHOE ARRANGED TO SLIDE ON SAID COKE OVEN CHAMBER FLOOR AND SUPPORT SAID RAM GIRDER FRONT END PORTION AND SAID RAM HEAD WITHIN SAID COKE OVEN CHAMBER, MEANS SLIDABLY CONNECTING SAID SUPPORT SHOE TO SAID RAM GIRDER SO THAT SAID SUPPORT SHOE IS MOVABLE LONGITUDINALLY RELATIVE TO SAID RAM GIRDER A PRESELECTED DISTANCE, LOCK MEANS FIXED TO SAID SUPPORT STRUCTURE ADJACENT SAID DRIVE MEANS OPERABLE TO FIXEDLY SECURE SAID SUPPORT SHOE TO SAID SUPPORT STRUCTURE ADJACENT SAID DRIVE MEANS AND PERMIT MOVEMENT OF SAID RAM GIRDER REALTIVE THERETO, AND MEANS ON SAID RAM GIRDER OPERABLE TO ENGAGE SAID SUPPORT SHOE TO SAID RAM GIRDER AT A PRESELECTED POSITION ON SAID RAM GIRDER FOR MOVEMENT OF SAID SUPPORT SHOE WITH SAID RAM GIRDER. 